Lebanese-Canadian entrepreneur Mohamad Fakih is doubling down on a social media post he shared in which he stated that anyone who continues to support Israel and its actions does not uphold human or Canadian values. The August 25 post has resulted in a petition to strip him of his Order of Canada.
“I’m going to scream it from the rooftop. If you support the killing of children, not only in Palestine, but anywhere, you do not have Canadian values,” he tells OMNI News. “Any intimidation will not change my statement.”
Following the post, three former politicians launched an online campaign to strip Fakih of his Order of Canada, saying his words were a “direct assault on the dignity and belonging of millions of Canadians.” The letter, originally signed by former MP Kevin Vuong, former Ontario MPP and cabinet minister Lisa MacLeod and former BC MLA Selina Robinson, goes on to say that it’s about preserving the integrity of Canada’s highest civilian honours.
“Just as previous appointees have had their honours revoked for fraud, hate speech, or dishonourable conduct, we believe the comments made by Mr. Fakih meet the threshold for such consideration,” reads the letter addressed to the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada and the office of the Governor General, among others.
The online petition has been signed by more than 13,000 people and 30 additional former Parliamentarians from various political stripes and regions, according to Robinson.
Fakih, who founded Paramount Fine Foods and was given the Order of Canada in 2022 for his business success and philanthropy, says he is not backing down.
“If we sit here and allow this to happen, if we sit here and allow people like Mohamad Fakih to be silent, we have a lot of explaining to do for our children. We do what we do in our life, we want our parents to be proud of us, our children to look up to us.”
The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council signed a letter along with more than 50 parties, addressed to Governor General Mary Simon, highlighting Fakih’s right to freedom of speech.
“Freedom of expression does not include hate, but as I said, what Mohamad Fakih did in no way can it be construed as hate speech. He simply, and he has made it explicitly clear, that he was simply criticizing those who defend the war crimes that have been well documented,” a spokesperson for the group tells OMNI News.
In a statement to OMNI News, B’nai Brith Canada accuses Fakih of inciting hate and sowing division, saying his conduct warrants a review of membership in the Order of Canada.
“His behaviour is unbecoming of a member of the Order of Canada, an award designed to celebrate the ‘distinguished service’ of Canadians whose conduct represents the best of our society and who are worthy of emulation,” Richard Robertson said.
Fakih tells OMNI News that he has received death threats since the petition started, in addition to threats to his businesses, to his suppliers and landlords.
